


Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet

by reginascullys



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/F, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-15 05:21:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20860907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reginascullys/pseuds/reginascullys
Summary: Hecate had heard of nothing but the new teacher since she arrived three days prior. Mildred’s incessant prattle about how modern, how innovative, and how beautiful the new teacher was was making it quite difficult for Hecate to focus on the potions she was currently working on. She doesn’t think she’s had a peaceful day in the two years since she adopted Mildred.Loosely an Anne of Green Gables AU





	Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet

“Oh, HB, I can’t wait for you to meet the new teacher! She’s such a kindred spirit.” 

Hecate had heard of nothing but the new teacher since she arrived three days prior. Mildred’s incessant prattle about how modern, how innovative, and how beautiful the new teacher was was making it quite difficult for Hecate to focus on the potions she was currently working on. She doesn’t think she’s had a peaceful day in the two years since she adopted Mildred. Her entire world was flipped upside down with the arrival of the plucky adventurer. Hecate had decided to take the girl in as a favor to an old friend of hers, Julie, who had found herself in difficult economic times and had been adamant that her child would be better off with Hecate and would prove to be of much use as an apprentice. Thus, Hecate found herself with a ward and reluctantly an apprentice. She had not, however, expected to fall in love with the compassionate, albeit rambunctious girl.

“For heavens sake, Mildred, if I accompany you to school tomorrow and finally meet this remarkable teacher will you be quiet and let me finish my work?” Hecate hadn’t even fully finished her query before long arms were wrapped around her middle. 

“I’m oh so certain that you’ll love her just as much as I do. Miss Pentangle really is wondrous!”

“Miss P-Pentangle?”

“Why yes! Had I not mentioned her name before? Miss Pippa Pentangle. Even her name is scrumptious while I’m just plain old Mildred Hubble, the worst witch.”

Hecate struggled not to drop her ladle into her potion as the explosion that would occur would surely lead to questions from Mildred, while at the same time she was not processing a single word the girl was saying through the ringing in her ears. Pippa Pentangle. After over 30 years of trying to process and subsequently suppress her feelings for her childhood best friend, here she comes waltzing right back into her life. She’s trying to come up with an excuse why she can no longer accompany Mildred but none come to mind and as Mildred’s tone becomes self deprecating, sound fully returns to her and she admonishes her for thinking such thoughts. Hecate agreeing to meet the new teacher had made Mildred so happy moments before and so she shall go through with it, how bad could it be? It’s been over 30 years since she’s seen Pippa surely she won’t still have the same effect on her and all will be well.

* * *

The sun peaks through Hecate’s curtains as she gets out of bed with a groan. Her no longer young body sore from a restless night spent tossing and turning, going over all the different ways Pippa could react to seeing her and in her mind none of them were promising. For, 30 years ago she had fallen in love with her best friend and dealing with her feelings the only way she knew how, rather, not dealing with them at all, she had abandoned her best friend without a word and neglected to even open any of the letters Pippa had sent her over the first few years of their separation. Safe to say, Pippa must hate her and once she arrives at the school she will be sent away with scathing words. Hecate shakes her head, even in her musings and despite the years between them, she knows that Pippa would never react in such a manner, especially not in front of children particularly one as enthused as Mildred. Pippa will surely put on a front for she is kind and well mannered and congenial, all the things Hecate herself is not. Nevertheless, she readies herself for what is sure to be an unpleasant morning and starts on breakfast for herself and Mildred all the while willing her racing heart to cooperate. 

The walk to the school is a quiet affair on her part but as Mildred speaks enough for the both of them leaving Hecate free to get lost in her own mind and anxieties. She doesn’t realized she’s slowed down her gait as they near the school until Mildred turns around and has to drag her along the last few feet. Mildred finally releases her hand as they cross the entryway and she bounds toward the front of the room to where Pippa is preparing the chalkboard.

“Oh, Miss Pentangle! I’m so excited to introduce you to my very favorite person today. You see, I believe you and I are kindred spirits and as such I would like you to meet the other most wonderful, smart woman in my life, it would make me ever so happy. Miss Pentangle I’d like you to meet -“

“Hecate. Is that really you?”

“You know each other? HB, why didn’t you say anything?”

Hecate can’t bring herself to answer Mildred’s question, in fact she can’t bring herself to say anything. She’s stuck in a trance, locked in place by Pippa’s bright eyes. She’s pulled back to reality by a nudge at her side from Mildred. 

“Miss Pentangle, well met.”

“Hecate, it’s been so long. I didn’t know you’d had a child.” Hecate detects a kind of wistfulness to Pippa’s voice as she says this but perhaps she’s imagined it. However the look quickly fades as Mildred so brightly chimes in, “HB’s not my mom! But she’s adopted me and brought me here and gave me the most marvelous home, where I’ve made oh so lovely friends and,” at Hecate’s scowl Mildred slows her rambling and finishes primly with a wide grin, “I couldn’t be happier.”

The rest of their meeting goes by swiftly, with mostly Mildred exclaiming how glad she is that Miss Pentangle has arrived, recounting all the things she has taught them so far and how much she adores her modern ways of teaching with Pippa chiming in every so often with how her curriculum is structured, that it doesn’t leave much time for Hecate and Pippa to have to interact on a personal level, for which Hecate is deeply grateful. She keeps her gaze traveling from the ground to the walls around the room in order to avoid Pippa’s eyes for she’s certain she would find an underlying contempt or anger in them and she really couldn’t bear it right now. As more students start making their way into the schoolroom, Hecate quickly takes her leave, grateful for the lungful of fresh air she takes as she’s finally outside which seems to her the first breath she’s taken since Mildred dropped a bomb on Hecate’s life through the utterance of Pippa’s name the previous evening. However, her reprieve is cut short with a couple shouts of her name in that most familiar, and yet unfamiliar voice.

“Hecate, please wait,” Pippa cries out to her, and so she does, unsurprised to find she is still unable to go against Pippa’s wishes. Once Pippa reaches her side the words can’t help themselves and come tumbling out of her mouth. “I never expected to see you again. What happened all those years ago? I was so worried and so confused and angry and sad and -” Pippa stops herself taking deep breaths and Hecate keeps waiting for the harsh words to come, feels her transference spell at the tip of her fingers ready to activate, and yet the words never come, instead Pippa gently reaches out and places her hand on Hecate’s arm and continues, “I’ve missed you. Can we please talk?” Pippa’s hand burns through the layers of Hecate’s clothing and she doesn’t know if she wants to pull away or attach her there forever. At a loss for words she replies with a mere nod, which receives a wide smile from Pippa.

“Excellent. Come for tea later, I’ll be waiting,” Pippa declares and then hurries back inside to the awaiting children.

Hecate watches Pippa head back into the schoolroom and stares at the closed door, her mind still reeling. She wishes she could just transfer back to her home, her lab and get back to her potions but her magic and her heart feel unruly so she settles on walking back home to try to tame both.

* * *

Hecate’s work that day is subpar which simply won’t do, she’ll have to remake all of these potions another day. Her mind is not fully with her potions, it keeps traveling back to Pippa and seeing her beautiful face again for the first time in 30 years. Her blonde hair as lustrous as ever, the lines in her face that show she’s lived but only make her more beautiful, and her eyes, always shining with so much emotion that Hecate’s afraid to look, afraid of the truths she’ll find, the words her kind mouth won’t utter but Hecate knows she must think. She’s both anxious and excited for the tea they’re to have later and she’s surprised at how much brain space Pippa is taking up, she feels 16 again.

When the time for tea comes, she leaves Mildred with explicit orders to stay away from her lab and to not burn down their home and should anything be wrong to run down to their neighbor Ada’s house for help. Mildred shoos her away with a toothy grin and a promise that all will be fine and so Hecate is on her way, once again walking in attempt to calm herself, but the walk is not long enough and soon she finds herself on Pippa’s doorstep unable to knock. Hecate’s brain starts unravelling and she thinks that it was a foolish idea to come, that Pippa must’ve invited her over only out of politeness and doesn’t really wish to speak to her but before she can bring herself to turn around the door opens suddenly and before her stands Pippa.

“Come on in, silly, you’ll catch your death out there,” Pippa exclaims in such a casual manner it’s as if they haven’t spent the past 30 years apart, as she drags Hecate into her home. Before she knows it she’s being shoved into a comfortable chair by the fireplace and there’s a cup of tea in her hands. Hecate stares into the fire before taking a sip of tea and realizing she hadn’t told Pippa how she takes it and yet it’s been made to perfection. She clears her throat and says, “You remembered. My tea, that is.”

Pippa smiles shyly from the chair across her and so quietly, Hecate almost doesn’t hear her, responds, “I remember everything.” Hecate looks up at Pippa and sees a flurry of emotions in her eyes and just as quickly they’re gone and Pippa cheerfully says, “I’m so glad you came. Mildred’s told me a lot about your time together, HB.”

Hecate rolls her eyes at the use of the young girls nickname. “I’ve told her time and time again not to call me that but she just won’t get it through her head.”

“Oh come off it, you love it just as I can tell you love the girl, Hiccup.”

Hecate is startled by the use of her old nickname and is unable to respond, simply staring at Pippa until she realizes her slip and somberly says, “I’m sorry, Hecate, old habits.”

She hadn’t realized it until that very moment how much she had missed hearing the old term of endearment and so Hecate gives a small upward quirk of her lips and says, “It’s quite alright…Pipsqueak.”

The smile Pippa gives back in return could light the whole universe and Hecate resolves in that moment to see it again, to set things right with Pippa and have her back in her life for good regardless of the fluttering in her heart. If the past 30 years have taught her anything it’s that she’d rather have Pippa in her life as simply her friend than not have her at all.

**Author's Note:**

> I am in no ways a writer but this wouldn't leave me alone since I binged Anne with an E so here we are. Do let me know your thoughts!


End file.
